


Surprise!

by YoMo715



Series: Remembered Anew (Breath of the Wild Ficlets) [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluffy, POV Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Post-Calamity, Ridiculously fluffy, link's memories, slight angst, super fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-09 23:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12286911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoMo715/pseuds/YoMo715
Summary: Zelda decides to throw Link a surprise birthday party!





	Surprise!

“A little to the right, Sidon. If you please.” 

Zelda’s gesture mimicked her suggestion, eyeing the banner the tall Zoran prince fidgeted with. “There. Perfect.” She nodded her approval and smiled. 

She didn't mean to micromanage these minute details, but she just couldn't help herself. Today was a very special occasion. 

Link’s seventeenth birthday _ — _ give or take a century. 

It dawned on her as the first sweltering heat wave of summer hit Hyrule: cicadas a buzz, forehead dripping with sweat, the distant rumble of a thunderous storm. All were little reminders, hints of memories from a long time ago. 

She'd nearly forgotten the tale Link’s father told her of his son’s birth. Such a storyteller, he was. Always rambling or humming a tune or doting about his wife and boy. The polar opposite of Link. The hero took on his mother’s more quiet, reserved demeanor. 

Zelda’s smile turned stale when she remembered them. They were warm people, like candlelights glowing in the dark. 

Snuffed out too soon. 

Too many other lights, flickered out all at once. 

“Where should I put the cake, your highness?” asked Paya, her voice so soft it barely registered. 

This snapped Zelda back into her previous state of mind. “Oh.” 

The fruitcake Paya baked was small—too small for the twenty-something guests currently storming Link’s Hateno home. Luckily, other than Zelda, most of them didn't care for sweets. It was embellished with strawberries (Zelda’s favorite) and wild berries (Link’s favorite), and even though the frosting was a little lopsided, it still looked exquisite. And delicious. 

“It would do best in the middle of the table. Perhaps surrounding the other dishes? It's a beautiful cake, Paya. It deserves to be the center of attention.” 

“Th-thank you, Princess!” Paya blushed at Zelda’s compliment. “I will do that right away.” And she was off again, her feet quick and quiet with hints of subtle grace in her gait. 

At first, Zelda thought a small celebration would best suit her hero. A cake, a warm meal, and maybe some good wine for the occasion. A few friends, too. 

Little did she know Link had more than “a few” friends. 

She  _ had  _ known that Link met many people in his travels, but she didn’t expect  _ half the country _ to spread word of his birthday. Despite such short notice on invitations, to her delight, there would be no room to spare in his tiny cottage. Filled to the brim with friends, ready to celebrate. A good problem to have! 

“I'm finished setting up the chairs, Princess,” Yunobo claimed in his usual, timid manner. “Is there anything else you want me to do before he gets back?” 

“It seems the preparations are complete, for the most part,” Zelda informed them. “We should start rounding everyone together.” The people paused to listen. “Purah is likely finished sending him on his wild cucco chase.” 

“Do you think he found out?” Yunobo asked with hesitation, yet the princess could sense his excitement from the way he hid his wide-lipped grin behind his huge fists. 

At this, Zelda showed him a confident smile. “I'm sure not. I certainly gave him no hints this morning _ — _ not that I could. Purah whisked him away before dawn.” 

Zelda hadn't, in fact. Hadn’t had the time to reveal  _ anything _ . Her busy schedule left her away from her hero for quite a time. So much so that she’d even neglected to ask him about plan or _ — _ more importantly _ — _ what he wanted for a gift. To keep the surprise from reaching him, the others had inquired Zelda of gift ideas, so there would be no reason for him to suspect anything. 

“Princess!” The door swung open, revealing an out-of-breath Nebb. “He’s coming back!” 

At his warning, a feeling of tension akin to electricity filled the room. “Alright, everyone,” Zelda called. “Places!” 

She watched as they piled in the back of the room. The calls and shouts of excitement were shushed into harsh whispers by others, and as Zelda joined them, she could feel the rapid pulse of adrenaline rushing through her veins. A shared feeling between them all.

The world fell quiet as the group watched the door. Faint murmurings echoed from the other side, presumably that of Link and Purah. A squeaky child’s voice, followed by the low hum from an adult. Zelda grinned. 

The door swung open, and _ — _

“Surprise!” 

The joyous call was so loud it startled her poor hero. Link flinched back, eyes as wide as a Hinox. Before he could react further, his friends and acquaintances flooded him, surrounding the boy with cheers. “Happy Birthday!”  

Zelda chuckled. The look of shock on his face was so genuine, she might have even thought that… _ oh.  _

Her smile fell. 

But Link’s didn’t. It spread into a warm,  _ real  _ smile, the kind that he rarely ever showed. As the calls finally settled, he gave a simple, “Thank you, everyone.” 

Not the speech they expected, but they were appeased nonetheless. 

As the festivities began, and the people settled into the rhythm of a celebration, Zelda finally approached him. Link stayed behind, still at the door. He seemed content to watch his friends for now. But she could see, behind the smile on his face there was a mind racing with thoughts. His eyes trailed the banner _ — _ Happy Birthday Link _ — _ multiple times. Like he allowed the phrase to sink in. 

He didn’t move when Zelda stood next to him. Neither did she. It was quiet in their corner, sound only broken by the distant hum of Kass’s accordion. 

As the sinking feeling of guilt fell further into her stomach, Zelda’s gaze lowered to the floor. “You didn’t know it was your birthday, did you.” She admitted, less of a question and more of a statement. 

It was a long few moments before he answered. “Well, I can say I was genuinely surprised.” 

Zelda gave a single, dry laugh, but couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye. 

It had been over two years since he awoke, and almost a year since Zelda’s return. All that time, and he didn’t even know the day of his birth. There were still so many things lost to him; so many things Zelda never thought someone could lose. Knowing her birth date felt as natural as sunlight on her skin. 

_ All the more reason he must have felt so foreign to this world. _

“I’m sorry,” Zelda whispered the apology in between thoughts. 

“Why?” Link asked in response. “It’s not your fault.” She felt a hand on her shoulder. It pulled her closer, until her hero had snaked his arm around the back of her waist. Zelda adjusted, standing still in his embrace, but not settling. “I never asked.” 

“Nor did I speak of it,” She answered. Her voice was soft, laced with sadness, but she did not falter. “I should have said something to you.” 

“And ruin the surprise? Nah,” Link dismissed the criticism with a laugh and the wave of his hand. 

Zelda felt him shift again. She watched him rise to the tips of his toes, then finally met his gaze as he leaned forward to plant a tender kiss on her forehead. The gesture was a small one, but enough to ease the princess’s worries, and an out-of-place giggle escaped her. Just the thought of Link on his toes to kiss her was  _ adorable.  _ One of the many things she loved about him. 

“Thank you, Zelda,” he whispered, and a shiver ran down her spine. “Really. I couldn’t be more grateful.” 

And at once, the tension dissipated. “Happy birthday, my hero.” Zelda whispered back and leaned wholly onto him, resting her head on his. She smiled. Deeply. 

Link chuckled. He leaned back to her, content to plant another kiss on the side of her cheek. The pair lingered at the door for a little while longer, happy to watch their friends — most new, but a few old _ — _ celebrate. 

“So, how old am I today?” Link piped up, a little smirk still gracing him as he looked to his princess for answers. 

Zelda’s smile widened into a grin. “Seventeen,” she declared. “An official adult. Congratulations!” 

“Huh.” It was quiet for a moment before she felt Link tense. He stared up at her, astonished. “Wait _ , I’m  _ **_younger_ ** _ than you _ ?!” 

She’d never laughed harder in her life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated!


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